Acrobatic animal



10, 1955 A. s. GORDON 3,199,247

ACROBATI C ANIMAL Filed May 7, 1963 INVENTOR A s usrus Golaowv United States Patent 3,199,247 ACROBATIC ANIMAL Augustus S. Gordon, 1177 Boston Road, Bronx 56, NX. Filed May 7, 1963, Ser. No. 278,596 1 Claim. (Cl. 46133) This invention relates generally to animated toys. More specifically, it relates to manually operated toys.

One object of the present invention is to provide an animated toy having the configuration of a dog, having movable limbs so as to assume any of various assorted positions to give the appearance of a dog doing tricks.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an acrobatic dog toy wherein the acrobatic positions are manually controllable by a childs or adults hand.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an acrobatic dog toy wherein the dog figure is remotely controlled to assume various acrobatic positions.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an acrobatic dog toy bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and ellicient in operation and use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an acrobatic dog toy incorporating the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the front legs shown removed from the dogs body.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the numeral represents an animated acrobatic dog toy according to the present invention wherein there is a figure ll representing a dog which includes a main body portion 12, a front leg element 13, attached pivotally free by means of a pin 14 to the main body member, a rear leg element 15 attached by means of pin 16 to be pivotally free relative to the main body and a tail element 17 attached pivotally free relative to the main body by means of pin 18.

It is to be noted that the main body portion includes the torso 19 and head 20. The rear leg element is comprised of a generally V-shaped inverted member having separate leg extremities 21. The front leg element 13 is also comprised of a V-shaped element having leg extremities 22. The outward ends of the leg extremities are each provided with a pair of openings 23 through which a string 24 is threaded in a manner, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The pair of elongated sticks 25 are retained in spaced apart relationship by a cross stick 26 supported therebetween at approximately the midportion between the opposite longitudinal ends of sticks 25. stick 26 may be attached to each of the longitudinal sticks by means of a tack 27 or it may be fitted into openings provided in each of the longitudinal sticks, thereby permitting a loose fit therebetween. One end of each of the longitudinal sticks serves as a handle, as shown at 28 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. At the opposite ends of the longitudinal sticks there is an opening 29 through which the string 24 is threaded. It is to be noted that the string is threaded through the front leg element of the dog figure in a manner so that it passes twice through each of the leg extremities, and it is to be further noted that the string enters the four openings all on one side from each transverse direction. After being passed through each of The cross 3,199,247 Patented Aug. 10, 1965 the openings 29 the string is then tied into a knot, not shown in the drawing.

The toy, being thus assembled, is now in operative position for use. The toy in use is grasped within the hand 3% in a manner as shown in FIG. 1 wherein the thumb 31 is placed over one of the handle elements and the four fingers 32 are placed over the other handle element. The handle elements are now squeezed together, thus causing the string between the opposite ends of the sticks to become taut, thereby causing the front leg element to be moved or turned due to the transverse force caused by the tightening of the string. Such movement of the front leg element will cause the main body element to be moved into various positions about the transverse string. The loosely supported rear leg element and tail will accordingly be moved respective to the body and the dog figure will assume various comical and unusual acrobatic attitudes to please children and adults alike. The dog figure will thus perform somersaults and various other tricks over the string. Thus, there has been provided an animated toy resembling an acrobatic dog which is made of relatively few parts and which is very easily operated to provide long and continued amusement by alternately squeezin and releasing the grip in various degrees and in rapid or slow movement upon the handle, the dog will perform unusual tricks.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In an animated toy, the combination of an animal configuration, said animal configuration being supported on an element having adjustable tension means and means for adjusting said tension, said adjustable tension means comprising a string and said means for adjusting said tension comprising a frame having transversely movable portions, said frame comprising a pair of longitudinal sticks in spaced apart relationship, a cross stick maintaining said longitudinal sticks in said spaced apart relationship, said cross stick being affixed relatively loosely to each of said sticks at approximately the midportion between the opposite longitudinal ends of each of said longitudinal sticks, one end of each of said longitudinal sticks comprising a handle portion and the opposite end of each of said longitudinal sticks having an opening therethrough to receive said string, said animal configuration comprising a main body element, a front leg element, a rear leg element and a tail element, said leg elements and said tail elements being affixed pivotably free to said main body element, said front leg element having means for attachment to said string, said front leg element also comprising a flat member of V-shaped configuration, a pivot opening at the apex of said V-shaped configuration and a pair of openings near the extreme outer end of each of said V-shaped configuration legs, said pairs of openings and said pivot opening extending transversely through said flat member, said front leg members pairs of openings astride an imaginary axis between the end openings of said frame sticks, said string being looped through said openings of said longitudinal sticks and said front leg element, said string comprising a loop having two sides, each side of said loop entering and leaving the openings of each of said legs on the same side of said legs and the plane of said main body element and said front leg element being in a position transverse to the said 1 4 I axis between said end openings of said frame sticks and 1,614,454 1/27 Cazes 46-133 said looped string extended therebetween. 1,622,562 3/27 Balmer 46-133 1,629,945 5/27 Alarcon 46133 References Cited by the Examiner 874,873 12/07 Sumerlin 46-133 LOUIS PRINCE, Examine"- 

